No Joke! 90,000 BYD Vehicles Roaming Indonesia's Roads

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The Chinese electric-vehicle manufacturer BYD has said the Indonesian electric vehicle market has undergone significant changes in recent years. President Director of PT BYD Motor Indonesia, Eagle Zhao, said that to date around 90,000 BYD cars have been on Indonesia’s roads.

He stated this at the BYD Tech Culture Fest in the GBK area of Senayan, Jakarta, on Wednesday evening (20 May 2026). He noted that amidst rising demand for electric vehicles, BYD is also expanding its sales network across various regions. To date, BYD has operated 85 showrooms in 49 cities, and by mid-year this number will rise to more than 100 showrooms.

“And for us, this is more than sales figures. It demonstrates the deep trust Indonesians and their families have placed in BYD and in green mobility,” Eagle said, quoted on Thursday (21 May 2026).

“To date, we have introduced a total of seven models across two brands, designed to meet the diverse needs and lifestyles of Indonesian people,” Eagle added.

Eagle explained that when BYD first entered Indonesia, the EV market was still very small. At that time, the share of EVs in total automotive sales had not even reached 1%.

“When BYD first entered Indonesia, electric vehicles represented only 0.9% of total automotive sales,” he said.

That situation left many people hesitant to use electric vehicles. The biggest challenge at the time was not only selling products but also building market trust and strengthening the supporting ecosystem.

“The market was just starting and many families were hesitant, unsure about electric vehicles. We saw the opportunity early on, but we also recognised the challenges and the hard work ahead. Building trust, raising awareness, and supporting the acceleration of infrastructure,” Eagle said.

Now the situation is changing rapidly. BYD says electric vehicle penetration in Indonesia has risen sharply to nearly 20% of the total automotive market. Nevertheless, Eagle concedes that the opportunity for growth of environmentally friendly vehicles in Indonesia remains large. Petrol-powered cars still dominate the national automotive market.

“Look at today, electric vehicle penetration has grown to around 20%. It is truly a historic milestone for the automotive industry here. Even with this substantial progress, the journey toward green mobility in Indonesia has only just begun. Petrol cars still hold 65% of the market share,” Eagle said.

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